The Grand Homecoming of FGS south Island
Finally, the repairing works of Fo Guang Shan (FGS) South Island New Zealand (NZ) Buddhist temple that was damaged by the earthquake since 3 years and 9 months ago has been completed this June. Upon receiving this great news, FGS and Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) members got ready from the 1st of June in moving back to the temple by packing up, tidying up and cleaning up the Cloud Water Cottage.
In this period of time, FGS NZ Venerable Abbess Manshin has repeatedly travelled from Auckland and Christchurch to help. The abbess also set out members from FGS North Island Young Adult Division (YAD) to assist this house moving activity. BLIA North Island NZ elder Advisor, Dolly Tsai and President, Stephen Yu were also there to support the activity. Members even used Trucks to transport some of the things back to the temple. With the north and south members working together, it brought back bright and dignified scenes shining to the repair done in these 3 years.
Besides that, YAD members restored back the Cloud Water Cottage to its original state and gave a new facelift to it, returning it back to the respectful owner. The owner appreciated the energy shown by the team and he expressed that while the abbess and temple supervisor stepped into the house, he felt that the mission of Dharma propagating of Cloud Water Cottage has now been completed. This gave the owner mixed feelings of sad and loneliness but once knowing that the FGS South Island NZ temple is reopening to propagate Dharma to more people in a more functional way, his feeling turned into joyfulness and full of blessings.
After almost a month of moving, the temple seems ready and Venerables are all set to move in with a peace of mind. Although there are still minor subjects to adjust, coming back to the temple and operating it gives tears of joy to everyone.
The abbess expressed to all BLIA members that came helping, this could only be done with the power of unity; and all members successfully completed this mission, creating a page of history in FGS NZ. All BLIA members were also thankful that FGS NZ has continued to propagate the Dharma, giving chance to the people in understanding and experiencing the Buddha’s teachings and not giving up while the temple was in repairing state for 3 years and 9 months.
Christchurch has been named the most beautiful garden city in New Zealand for the year of 2010. It attracted more than 500 thousand foreign tourists each year and retirees would also like to make this place their home. The September 2010 and February 2011 earthquake has shaken this peaceful city and its residence, and the temple had no choice but to be closed for repair. Works that may be done in three months has to be prolonged until more than 3 years as the construction companies and insurance companies has consensus issues.
In this period of almost four years, a place near the Air Force Museum in Christchurch was being rented as a small temple and being called the Cloud Water Cottage. Besides exerting the spirit of Humanistic Buddhism at the cottage, leasing of other places for bigger activities such as Buddha’s Birthday, Dharma functions, Dharma talks and musical shows were also tasks to be done for the team. In the days of the cottage, FGS and BLIA members had relentlessly read books written by Venerable Master Hsing Yun to gain more wisdom, ideas and hanging on into unceasingly servicing the community. Everyone has waited for the day of the temple reopening and strive for their believes.
On September the 5th, which is just one month before the moving back to temple activity, FGS and BLIA members of South Island NZ organized “Siddhartha the Musical” at the Isaac Theatre Royal which attracted thousands of audiences. This has not just been a warm up or a notice that FGS South Island NZ would be reopening, but also a present to Christchurch city. May the 14th, with the council government’s approval, BLIA and FGS were allowed to celebrate Buddha’s Birthday at the temple and that brings more happiness to the celebration. On that day, all that arrived could see the hope and future because they know that the temple is reopening soon. FGS and BLIA members could finally return home, returning to a solid shelter, re-sailing back to the vast ocean, to the vast ocean of Humanistic Buddhism, continuing the journey of propagating the Dharma.